Come the end of October I make sure that I pick up a new poppy. I put my donation in the box and fix my Canadian flag pin in the middle of the flower so that I don’t lose the symbol. It’s part of my annual ritual.

There are many reasons to wear a poppy, particularly this year.

Though the poppy’s origins come from the fields of Flanders in WWI and popularized in John McRae’s poem, it has come to be a symbol of remembrance for all armed conflict since 1914. And so we wear this symbol not only to
commemorate the lives lost in the two world wars, but in other conflicts such as Korea, NATO missions, and in more recent conflicts. But, we also celebrate those who survived.

We appreciate the family, friends and neighbours who work in similar service to their country daily. We pay tribute to their pain, strife, the sacrifices made , and the sacrifices others will continue to make on our behalf in the future.

Remembrance Day has never been more potent in the minds of Canadians as this year given recent events in which two soldiers brutally murdered by acts of madmen outside of combat. These past weeks have shown, sadly but
appropriately, that we have Canadian heroes, some of whom are ordinary, doing the extraordinary and this is their time as well.

And so, I wear a poppy because I value the men and women who serve and have served. I am in awe of their dedication, their courage and their sacrifice. I wear a poppy, as a personal reminder, of those Canadians who have lived before me, and who protected our freedom and the right of others to live freely.

I wear a poppy to show that I remember our fallen and stand with our veterans, to show my pride and appreciation and as a reminder to always remember.